Rick Hillier

Infobox Military Person
name=Rick J. Hillier


caption=General Hillier shaking hands with Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, December 2006
rank=General
branch=
commands=SFOR Multinational Division (Southwest),
ISAF,
Chief of the Land Staff,
Chief of the Defence Staff
unit=
battles=War in Afghanistan
family=
nickname=Rick
allegiance=Canada
lived=
placeofbirth=Campbellton, Newfoundland
placeofdeath=
serviceyears=1973-2008
portrayedby=
laterwork=
awards=Commander of the Order of Military Merit
Meritorious Service Cross
Canadian Forces Decoration
General Rick Hillier CMM, MSC, CD (born 1955), was Canada's Chief of the Defence Staff – the highest ranking position in the Canadian Forces – from February 4 2005 to July 1 2008. On April 15, 2008, Hillier announced that he would retire on July 1, and was replaced on that date as CDS by Vice-chief of defense staff Walter Natynczyk [ [http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=c5ca775a-a5a4-486a-a24d-e4eb3ccd7d32 Harper to name new top general: report] , "The Ottawa Citizen", June 6, 2008 ] . On July 3, 2008, Hillier began a term as Chancellor of the Memorial University of Newfoundland, his alma mater.

Early years

Born and raised in Campbellton, Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland, he graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He is an honorary member of the Royal Military College of Canada, college number S148.Fact|date=June 2008

Early military career

He was posted to his first regiment, the 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's) in Petawawa, Ontario, and subsequently to the Royal Canadian Dragoons in Lahr, Germany. He has also served as a staff officer at Force Mobile Command Headquarters at CFB St. Hubert in Montreal, and at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa. He commanded 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (2 CMBG) in 1997-98, and (in 1998) as Deputy Commanding General of III Armoured Corps of the United States Army, at Fort Hood, Texas. In January 1998, as Commander 2 CMBG, he led Operation Recuperation, the Canadian Forces' intervention in the paralysing ice storm in Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick.

He was named Chief of the Land Staff, commanding the Canadian Army, on May 30, 2003. [cite web
url = http://www.army.dnd.ca/LF/English/1_6_2_2.asp
title = Lieutenant-General R.J. Hillier, CMM, CD, Chief of the Land Staff
accessdate = 2008-10-06
publisher = Canadian Department of National Defence] Previously, he had commanded the Multinational Division (Southwest) in Bosnia-Herzegovina. After serving as Chief of the Land Staff and before being appointed Chief of the Defence Staff, he commanded the NATO ISAF in Afghanistan from February 9 to August 12, 2004, bringing to this role his support for what is known as Canada's "3-D" approach to security – defence, diplomacy, and development.Fact|date=June 2008

Hillier is noted for his public calls for increased resources for the Canadian Forces. [cite news
first = Steven
last = Chase
title = 'Gentleman general' named new defence chief
url = http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080606.wgeneral0606/BNStory/Front/home?cid=al_gam_mostview
work = The Globe and Mail
location = Toronto
date = 2008-06-06
accessdate = 2008-10-06 ] In 2003, when he was appointed Chief of the Land Staff, he said, "Any commander who would stand up here and say that we didn't need more soldiers should be tarred and feathered and rode out of town on a rail."cite news
first = John
last = Ward
title = Rick Hillier reconnected Canadians with Forces
url = http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080629/Rick_Hillier_080629
agency = Canadian Press
work = CTV.ca
location = Ottawa
date = 2008-06-29
accessdate = 2008-10-06] He was believed to be referring to cutbacks made to the Canadian Forces in the mid-1990s.

Hillier as Chief of the Defence Staff

On February 4 2005, he became Chief of the Defence Staff. At the change-of-command ceremony he repeated his call, more broadly, for increased military funding. "In this country, we could probably not give enough resources to the men and women to do all the things that we ask them to do," he said, with Prime Minister Paul Martin and Defence Minister Bill Graham looking on. "But we can give them too little, and that is what we are now doing. Remember them in your budgets." [ [http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080415/hillier_in_brief_080415/20080415?hub=Specials The essential Rick Hillier: Facts and quotes] , "CTV News", April 15, 2008 ] His willingness to speak openly and on the record about the Canadian Forces' financial resources, and about the Defence budget in particular, distinguishes Hillier from previous Chiefs of the Defence Staff.Fact|date=June 2008

After his appointment, Hillier maintained a very high profile, frequently talking with the media and arguing his case for defence planning. He has been called the most prominent Chief of the Defence Staff in decades.

Resignation

On 15 April 2008, Hillier announced he would step down as CDS on 1 July 2008 [ [http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/newsroom/view_news_e.asp?id=2622 DND/CF | News Release | Message from the Chief of the Defence Staff to the Canadian Forces ] ] .

Hillier was subsequently appointed to the honourary post of chancellor of Memorial University of Newfoundland, effective July 3, 2008. [CTV News, June 26, 2008 [http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080626/hillier_chancellor_080626/20080626?hub=CTVNewsAt11 Hillier named chancellor of Memorial University] (retrieved 06/27/2008)] He will succeed former federal cabinet minister John Crosbie, who held the post of chancellor until February 2008, when he became Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Hillier recently announced that he will be transitioning to the civilian workforce from a temporary office at the national law firm Gowlings.

Hillier and his wife, Joyce, have two sons, Chris and Steven, a daughter-in-law, Chris' wife, Caroline, and a grandson, Jack.

He announced on September 3, 2008, he will be working at an Ottawa office for the TD Bank to support initiatives that enhance the client and customer experience and to assist the bank's ongoing leadership development and training activities. [cite news|url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080903/Rick_Hillier_080903/20080903?hub=Canada|title=Retired general Rick Hillier to work with TD bank|title=Retired general Rick Hillier to work with TD Bank|date=2008-09-03]

External links

* [http://www.cds.forces.gc.ca/pubs/bio_e.asp Official biography]
* [http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=1199 Interview with Rick Hillier] on The Hour.
* [http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/hillier/ CBC News Indepth background] [http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/hillier/timeline.html Career timeline] (CBC)
* [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080706.whillier.07/BNStory/National/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20080706.whillier.07 "Hillier gets combat-ready for business world", Globe & Mail, July 6, 2008]
* [http://www.gowlings.com/news/index.asp?intNewsId=418&strShowWhat=releases Gowlings press release, July 7, 2008]